Kapu movement leader and former minister Mudragada Padmanabham, who has lost his clout among his community due to his frequent individualistic attitude and makes controversial moves at critical times, has changed his name to Mudragada Padmanabha Reddy.
His soft attitude towards YS Jaganmohan Reddy, against whom his community has practically revolted in recent elections and his impatient towards growing clout of Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan makes him the most `instable’ leader of the community.
Mudragada had challenged during the recent elections if Pawan Kalyan wins from Pithapuram assembly constituency, he will change his name as `Padmanabha Reddy’. However, this challenge was not taken positively by his own community people, which resulted in a massive victory for Jana Sena chief.
He also challenged that YCP will win again in the state and return to power, while Pawan will lose in Pithapuram. It was not taken well by people in general as to why a person claims to be leader of a big community attempting to concentrate a single leader, who is rising from the same community.
After the election results came out, he was trolled on a large scale. He clarified that he will change the name as per his word. Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government issued a gazette notification changing his name to Mudragada Padmanabha Reddy.
Mudragada Padmanabham joined YCP on 27th March along with her son. He announced that he joined the party without expecting any position or intent to contest in the election. Before that there was a speculation that he would join the Jana Sena but it was stopped at the last minute. After that he joined YCP.
In an attempt to divide Kapu communist, who are rallying behind Pawan Kalyan, the then Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy cleverly announced him as incharge for Pithapuram and assigned the job of defeating Pawan Kalyan. YCP leaders openly declared that they do not want to see Pawan Kalyan’s face in the state assembly. This has created an impression of Mudragada turning into a pawn in the criminal political strategy of YCP.
Mudragada’s own daughter was critical of Mudragada in this regard. Along with her husband, he extended support to Pawan Kalyan in the elections. Then, Mudragada blamed that Pawan had created havoc in his family.
Though Mudragada’s daughter Kranti was ready to join the Jana Sena as part of the election campaign, Pawan advised her to be patient and wait to get Clarence from her father first.